cover image Sweet Bliss

Sweet Bliss

Jennifer Bardsley. Montlake, $12.95 trade paper (278p) ISBN 978-1-5420-2821-9

Bardsley (Genesis Girl) launches her Harper Landing series with a touching, chaste romance that sees two struggling people find solace in each other. At 27, Julia Harper becomes the landlord to half the town of Harper Landing, Wash., after the death of her mother leaves her the last living member of the town’s founding family. A lifetime of harsh criticism from her mother has left Julia with low self-esteem, and she finds the responsibilities that come with her inheritance overwhelming—especially as it becomes clear that much of the town is in disrepair. Aaron Baxter moves to Harper Landing after the death of his sister and her husband, Aaron’s best friend, in order to be closer to his brother-in-law’s parents while raising the late couple’s infant son. Though buried in grief, Aaron works to become a successful single parent and honor his sister’s wishes in how her child is raised. From the moment Julia and Aaron meet, they find strength and happiness in each other: Aaron helps Julia see herself in a new light as she searches for a way to save the town, and Julia offers a voice of reason whenever Aaron panics about the baby. Their shared path from heartache to happiness is sure to inspire. [em]Agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. (July) [/em]